Jack for steam-dredges, &amp;c.



No. 811,709. PATBNTED FEB. s, 190e. J. G. PAIHBANKS al G. L. SAUER,

JACK FOR STEAM DREDGES, ao. Prnxourox HL2 Nov. 19. 190s.

2 SHEETS-SEEE? 2A FATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. FAlRBANKS AND GEORGE L. SAUER, OF MARION, OHIO.

JACK FOR STEAM-DREDGES, dto.

No. e1 1,709.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application led November 19, 1903. Serial No. 181,875.

To al?, when@ t Tltal/ concern.'

Be it known that we, JAMES G. FAIR-Y BANKs and GEORGE L. SAUER, citizens of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Jack for Steam- Dred es, 6to., of which thc following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to bracing mechanisms or jacks for dredging, ditching, and analogous machines, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character which in practice may be readily operated and will eiiectually prevent the tilting or overturning of the scow or other body carrying the dredging mechanism when the latter is o erated for dredging and4 raising thc materiaFat the sides of said vessel or body.`

To these ends the invention comprises thc novel features oi construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a scow equipped with the,

mechanism constituting this invention and illustrating the latter in dredging position. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view. Fig. 3 1s an ele vation of the improved bracing mechanism, showing the latter on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a dredging-scow ci the usual or any preferred construction and designed to carry a dredging mechanism, (not showm) said scow being provided with a pair of the bracin mechanisms or jacks 2, which constitute t e subject-matter of this invention and are disposed at opposite sides of the scow to sustain the latter a ainst lateral tipping or overturning due to t e dredging mechanism raising mate rial at the sides of said scow. At this point it may be said that while the invention has been shown herein as applied to a dredging vessel it is to be understood that the same is applicable to and designed for use upon ditchin and analogous machines used upon land.

he bracing mechanisms or jacks 2 are each sustained by a frame comprising upper and lower horizontal bars or beams 3 4 and a vertical beam or standard 5. inasmuch as said jacks are identical in construction and operation we will describe but one in detail, in which 6 is a normally horizontal supporting member or element in the form of a beam pivoted at its inner end to the standard 5 to swing in a vertical plane and having bolted or otherwise secured to its outer end a bracket or casting 7, having upwardly-extending spaced ears 8 and carrying upon its normally under face a ball 9. This ball is seated and works freely in a socket 10 to form a universal joint or ball-andsocket connection between the supporting element 6 and a ground-engaging shoe or platform 11 carried thereby, this shoe being intended in practice to engage andrest upon the surface of the ground or bank adjacent to which the dredging-machine may be operated, as is usual in this class of devices.

Pivoted at its lower ends between the ears 8 is a pressure member or ram 12, which extends diagonally upward and inward and is slidingly seated adjacent to its upper end in a guide 13, pivoted upon a counter-shaft 14, mounted in suitable bearings at the upper end of the standard 5. The pressure memx ber is preferably in the form of a rack provided upon its lower face with teeth 15 in mesh with a pinion 16, fixed upon the shaft 14, which latter has also fixed thereon a worm-wheel 17, engaged by a worm 18, rovided upon the upper end of a vertical s aft 19, mounted in suitable bearings on the frame and carrying at its lower end a bevel-gear 20.

21 is a horizontal drive-shaft, upon which is fixed a sprocket-wheel 22, through the medium of which the shaft is driven from any suitable source of ower. This shaft has also loosely mountedp thereon a pair of idle bevel-pinions 23 24, both in mesh with the gear 20 and either adapted to be clutched to the shaft 21 to be driven thereby through the medium of a clutch member 25, keyed upon said shaft. Thlutch member is opcrable by suitable lever 26, extending to a point within convenient reach of the engineer, thereb placing the entire mechanism wholly under is control. in operation, supposing the drive-shaft 21 to be rotating in t e direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 and the pinion 23 to be clutched to the shaft, the worin-shaft will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon, thus causing the worm through the medium of Wheel 17 to drive the pinion 1?? in the roper direction for moving rack 12 upwar and thus raising the su porting element and its shoe, whereas if t e pinion 24 be clutched to the drive-shaft the worm will be driven in the opposite direction, and thus through the medium of Wheel 17 and pinion 13 move the rack bar or ram 12 downward, thus exerting downward pressure upon the IOO log,v

IID

shoe and tending to lift the adjacent side of' the vessel 1. Thus the mechanism may be readily and properly adjusted and after the desired adjustment has been obtained may be locked in such position by throwing the clutch 25 out of engagement with both pinions 23 24.

It is apparent that the beams 3 and 4 may extend across the scow 1, thus forming a common part of both supporting-frames, and that the shaft 21 is likewise by preference of sui'licient length to be common to both mechanisms, the latter, however, being totally free and independent of each other in the matter of operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a device of simple construction admirably adapted for the ends in view is produced. In attaining these ends it is to be understood that various minor changes may be made in the details herein disclosed Without departin from the spirit or scope of the invention.

aving thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body, of a supporting element pivotally connected with and rojecting from said body, a bearing mem `er carried by the element, an operating member connected with said element and provided with a rack, and means for actuating said operating member, said means comprising a rotary pinion in mesh with the rack, a driveshaft, means for operating the latter, and operative connections between the drive-shaft and pinion for actuating the latter.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body, of a supporting element pivotally connected with and rojeeting from said body, a bearing member carried by the element, an operating member connected with said element and provided With a rack, and means for actuating said operating member, said means comprising a counter-shaft, a pinion thereon in mesh with the rack, a drive-shaft, means for o erating the same, and mechanism actuatedp by the drive-shaft for drivin the counter-shaft.

3. In a device of t e class described, the

combination with a body, of a supporting element pivotally connected with. and rejecting from said body, a bearing memler carri ed by the element, an operating member connected With said element and provided with a rack, and means for actuating said operating member, said means comprising a counter-shaft, a pinion fixed thereon in mesh with the rack, a worm-wheel fixed on the countershaft, a drive-shaft, means for operating the same, and a worm-shaft operated by the drive-shaft and rovided with a worm engaging the` worm-w eel for driving the countershaft.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body, of a supporting element pivotally connected with and rejecting from said body, a bearing mem er carried by the element, an operating member connected with said element and provided with a rack, and means for actuating said operating member, said means comprising a counter-shaft, a pinion iixed thereon and in mesh with the rack, a Worm-wheel xed on the counter-shaft, a worm-shaft having a worm engaging the latter Wheel Jfor operating the counter-shaft, a gear fixed on the wormshaft, a drive-shaft, means for operating the same, a pair of idle pinions on the drive-shaft in mesh with said gear, and a clutch member capable of engaging either pinion to reversely rotate the worm-shaft or for releasing both pinions to lock the latter shaft.

5. The combination with a body, of a tension-bar pivotally connected to the body, an obliquely-disposed s ud pivotally connected to the outer end of t e tension-bar, a guiding means for said spud, and means for positively feerlling said spud longitudinally through said u1 e. g In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto aHixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES G. FAra'BANKs. GEo. L. sAUER.

Witnesses:

FRANK G. NORTON, W. LINDER. 

